Suspects face charges in deaths of woman, teens

Published: Thursday, November 01, 2001

Associated Press

THE WOODLANDS {AP} The Montgomery County District Attorney said Wednesday his office would file capital murder charges against two men suspected in the slayings of a woman, her son and a teen-age boy.

Sheriff's department investigators have not determined a motive for the killings, other than the suspects wanted to steal two vehicles belonging to the woman.

The two suspects were Michael James Perry and Jason Burkett, both 19, the Conroe Courier reported Wednesday. The victims were identified as Sandra Stotler, 43, her son James Adam Stotler, 16, and Jeremy Richardson, 18.

"We're in the process of filing capital murder charges," said Montgomery County District Attorney Mike McDougal said.

Perry and Burkett initially were wanted for the shooting death of Sandra Stotler, whose body was found Saturday in Crater Lake in northeast Montgomery County after she had been missing for several days. Her body was wrapped in a blanket.

After the suspects were arrested Tuesday following a wild chase, they told investigators to go to a wooded subdivision, where the bodies of Stotler's son and Richardson were found.

Police sought the suspects after hearing they had bragged about fatally shooting Sandra Stotler.

Police said Perry and Burkett were spotted in Stotler's sport utility vehicle about 5 a.m. Tuesday in South Montgomery County.

When a deputy spotted the vehicle, Perry and Burkett ran him over with the SUV, police said. The deputy fired one shotgun round into the rear tire.